The European World Cup qualifying matches continue tomorrow when Croatia and Denmark in Group One, England and Italy in Group Two, Austria in Group Four, Bulgaria and Russia in Group Five and Germany in Group Nine all feature in crucial games.
The European champions, Germany, appear to have the easiest task of the day when they meet Armenia in Dortmund. In drawing 1-1 with Portugal in Berlin on Saturday, Germany were let off the hook by a Portuguese side which dominated for long periods and which scored first only to concede a late goal, soon after the controversial sending-off of Fiorentina midfielder Rui Costa (judged to have taken too long to reach the sideline by French referee Batta).
That draw leaves Germany still second, one point behind Ukraine but with a game in hand and with qualification almost certain.
Put simply, Germany need to win tomorrow and then again next month at home to Albania to claim a place in France.
German coach Berti Vogts has called up the Schalke O4 defenders, Olaf Thon and Thomas Linke, for tomorrow's game as replacements for the injured Stefan Reuter and suspended Juergen Koehler.
In attack, 31-year-old former East German Ulf Kirsten, scorer of Saturday's 81st minute equaliser, may start instead of either captain Juergen Klinsmann (Sampdoria), goalless in eight consecutive internationals, or "super-sub" Oliver Bierhoff (Udinese), himself substituted by Kirsten against Portugal.
The calculations in the England-Italy Group Two are, of course, a great deal more delicate. Suffice to say that if Italy were to draw or lose away to Georgia tomorrow then England would overtake them, providing they defeat Moldova at Wembley tomorrow night.
That thought has not escaped Italy coach Cesare Maldini who, faced with a potentially difficult match in Tiblisi at a time when many of his players are still short of full fitness, will probably stick to his regular first choice formation. Only the suspension enforced absence of the AC Milan pair, Demetrio Albertini and Alessandro Costacurta, will prompt changes.
Juventus captain Antonio Conte and Lazio defender Alessandro Nesta will probably replace the two suspended players with the experienced Ciro Ferrara (Juventus) playing as libero behind Nesta, with Christian Panucci (Real Madrid) at right back and the coach's son, Paolo (AC Milan), at left back.
Up front, Maldini seems likely to start with his first choice strike force of Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea) alongside Lazio's Pierluigi Casiraghi while the second half introduction of Roberto Baggio, now with Bologna, represents an intriguing option.
NOW 30, Baggio desperately wants to play his way back into the squad. Called up by Maldini for a 3-0 World Cup home win against Poland in April (in which he scored the third goal), Baggio had been out of the side for nearly two years prior to that. If he lines out tomorrow, he will be winning a 47th cap.
Maldini said over the weekend: "Georgia play with just one man up front and with two attacking midfielders and for that reason we may have to try out something new, if not from the beginning then at least during the game".
Whatever happens tomorrow, even including an unlikely defeat by Georgia, Maldini and his players are unlikely to panic. They firmly believe that the Group's outcome can still be decided in the final game between England and Italy here in Rome next month.
In contrast, Russia absolutely cannot afford to lose to Bulgaria in Sofia tomorrow. Not surprisingly, these two countries dominate this Group Five with Bulgaria leading Russia by just one point. However, the two leaders meet for the first time tomorrow with the return game coming next month in Moscow.
The Russians have slightly the better goal difference and thus will look for a draw tomorrow, hoping to go on and win the return game in Moscow. For the Bulgarians, the task is much less complicated - a home win tomorrow puts them in France '98 and leaves Russia a candidate for the play-offs.
Bulgaria still feature many of the players who took them to a World Cup semi-final against Italy in the US and who played in the Euro '96 finals last year (Krasimir Balakov, Yorand Lechkov, Emil Kostadinov and Hristo Stoichkov) while Russia tomorrow look to Igor Kolivanov (Bologna) and Igor Simutenkov (Reggiana) in Russian attack while Valdimir Radimov (Zaragoza), Andrei Kanchelskis (Fiorentina) and Sergei Grishin (Dynamo Moscow) in midfield and with Yuri Nikiforov (Sporting Lisbon) and Viktor Onopko (Oviedo) in defence.
FOLLOWING their 76th minute winner against Sweden in a badtempered game in Vienna on Saturday (1-0), Austria now have only themselves to blame if they fail to qualify from Group Four (at Scotland's expense).
The Austrians currently trail Scotland by one point but have a game in hand and thus need to win their last two games, home and away against Belarus to qualify. Their final bid starts tomorrow in Minsk.
Finally, Croatia are away to Group One leaders Denmark in a top of the table clash which could prove decisive. Just one point behind Denmark, Croatia overcame two costly errors by goalkeeper Drazen Ladic (Croatia Zagreb) to defeat little Bosnia 3-2 on Saturday. That result, however, was better than Denmark whose last Group outing saw them beaten 3-0 by Bosnia in Sarajevo.
All is still to play for in this Group, currently led by Greece who have 13 points (level with Denmark and one clear of Croatia) but have played an extra game. The final Group outcome hangs not only on tomorrow's clash but also on the Denmark-Greece, Slovenia-Croatia ties of next month.
